Invest in Smart Security

Investing in peacebuilding is investing in smart security. Peacebuilding produces a substantial positive effect on the wider economy. One dollar spent on peacebuilding translates to two dollars of economic activity. Plus, preventing war in the first place is still 60 times cheaper than fighting it.

Jordan is one of the most water-scare countries in the world. Uncharacteristically low rainfall coupled with a rapid population increase as a result of ongoing conflict in Syria has exacerbated the problem. In the northern governorates of Jordan alone, there has been an influx of an estimated 584,600 Syrian refugees.

Located in southeast Guinea, the Forest Region (or Guinée Forestière) has suffered the negative effects of more than 20 years of civil wars in the neighboring countries of Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

When religious intolerance turned into violence in Indonesia, several strong community organizations partnered together to teach students peace and tolerance. These small but strategic investments show how local peacebuilding efforts make the most significant impact on a community.

Julia Watson serves as the Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellow in FCNL’s Peacebuilding Program. She works with Allyson Neville-Morgan and Theo Sitther to conduct research and provide policy analysis related to the prevention of violent conflict and protection of civilians.